Refuting exmuslims on Tahreef

Question

Assalamualaikum I found the ahadith below from this exmuslim Reddit page https://www.reddit.com/r/exmuslim/comments/bj9csm/ibn_abbas_is_a_problem_for_islam/.

I need someone's help in refuting them :

According to this narration, the Quran contains a mistake courtesy of a scribe incorrectly writing it down.

حدثنا أبو علي الحافظ أنبأ عبدان الأهوازي ثنا عمرو بن محمد الناقد ثنا محمد بن يوسف ثنا سفيان عن شعبة عن جعفر بن إياس عن مجاهد عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما : في قوله تعالى : { لا تدخلوا بيوتا غير بيوتكم حتى تستأنسوا } قال : أخطأ الكاتب حتى تستأذنوا

Narrated Mujahid: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to say about the statement of Allah ‘{do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome}’ IT IS A MISTAKE BY THE SCRIBE’ (ACTUALLY ITS) ‘SEEK PERMISSION’’. (capital emphasis mine)

For context, In verse 24:27 it talks about the etiquette of entering someone else's home. The Quran, as it is written today, uses the verb تستأنسوا which means "ascertain that you are welcomed". Ibn Abbas says that the scribe wrote the verb wrong, and that it should have been تستأذنوا which means "seek permission".

This narration is found in Al-Mustadrak 3496. It was classed Sahih by al-Hakim and confirmed by Dhahabi. Ibn Hajar also declared it Sahih. Interestingly, the Scholars of Tafsir record this narration and admit that it is proof of Quranic corruption. But they reject the hadith because it is proof of that and argue the Quran is perfect anyway. (Tafsir al-Lubaab, Volume 14 pages 341-342, Tafsir Ruh Al-Ma’ani, Volume 18 page 133, Tafsir al-Kabir, Volume 11 page 295)

And.....

Quran 2:198 has a missing part

The current Uthmani Quran for 2:198 says the following:

لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَبْتَغُوا۟ فَضْلًا مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

However Ibn Abbas in a hadith from Sahih-Bukhari, Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 44 appears to believe that there is an extra part that is now missing:

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ابْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرٍو، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ كَانَتْ عُكَاظٌ وَمَجَنَّةُ وَذُو الْمَجَازِ أَسْوَاقًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فَتَأَثَّمُوا أَنْ يَتَّجِرُوا فِي الْمَوَاسِمِ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏لَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَبْتَغُوا فَضْلاً مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ‏ فِي مَوَاسِمِ الْحَجِّ‏

Narrated Ibn Abbas:Ukaz, Mijanna and Dhul-Majaz were markets during the Pre-islamic Period. They (i.e. Muslims) considered it a sin to trade there during the Hajj time (i.e. season), so this Verse was revealed:-- "There is no harm for you if you seek of the Bounty of your Lord DURING THE HAJJ SEASON." (2.198)(capital emphasis mine)

And.....

17:23 has a mistake in it

Todays version of the Quran verse 17:23 reads as follows:

وقضى ربك ألا تعبدوا إلا إياه

Translation: And your lord has commanded that you shall not serve but him.

However, Ibn Abbas once again has spotted a mistake in the verse. His opinion is recorded in the Tafsir of Razi volume 10 page 30:

وروى ميمون بن مهران عن ابن عباس أنه قال: في هذه الآية كان الأصل ووصى ربك فالتصقت إحدى الواوين بالصاد فقرىء: { وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ } ثم قال: ولو كان على القضاء ما عصى الله أحد قط، لأن خلاف قضاء الله ممتنع، هكذا رواه عنه الضحاك وسعيد بن جبير، وهو قراءة علي وعبد الله

Maimon bin Mehran narrated from Ibn Abbas that he said: ‘The actual word in this verse was ‘ووصى’ but ‘و’ got mixed with ‘ص’ that is why it is recited as ‘وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ’. Then he said: ‘Had it been fate then none would have disobeyed Allah as it would have been impossible to go against fate of Allah’. This narration was narrated from him by Dahak and Saeed bin Jubair and this is the Qirat of Ali and Abdullah.

Ibn Hajar commented and said it was a “great chain”. Similarly, like the Mustadrak 3496 narration, the Tafsir Scholars panicked at this hadith with Razi saying in Tafsir Kabir, Volume 10 page 30 that if true, the Quran is out of protection. Similar statements can be found In Ibn Adil Hanbali in Tafsir Al-Lubab, Volume 12 page 248, Muhammad Sharbini Khateeb in Tafsir Siraj al-Munir, Volume 4 page 195 and Khazin in his Tafsir, Volume 4 page 451.

Answer 1

I will cover the first one in my answer. The same extends to the other cases in your question as well as to other reports.

The verse of the Quran under discussion is:

يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تدخلوا بيوتا غير بيوتكم حتى تستأنسوا وتسلموا على أهلها ذلكم خير لكم لعلكم تذكرون

O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be reminded.

^{— Quran 24:27}

The criticism is the report that Ibn Abbas recited تستأذنوا and considered the ubiquitous تستأنسوا as a scribal error; this report has been recorded by Tabari, Hakim etc.

Note that تستأذنوا is an irregular (شاذة) recitation of Ubay ibn Ka'b, so it is possible that it was a valid recitation and Ibn Abbas learnt from him. Also note that the prevalent interpretation of تستأنسوا is that it means تستأذنوا (seek permission) so the meaning is not affected.

As for the claim that تستأنسوا is scribal error, the following responses can be given:

• The recitation تستأنسوا is proven through the mutawatir chains of the Quran from the sahaba such as Umar, Ali, Uthman, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Zayd ibn Thabit, Ubay ibn Ka'b. Similarly it is present in all the mushafs and is proven by the consensus of the sahaba on the mushaf of Uthman. There are even statements of Ibn Abbas which refute any claim that something is missing or altered in the mushaf:

  دخلت أنا وشداد بن معقل، على ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما، فقال له شداد بن معقل: أترك النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من شيء؟ قال: ما ترك إلا ما بين الدفتين

  Shaddad bin Ma'qil and I entered upon Ibn Abbas. Shaddad bin Ma'qil asked him, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) leave anything (besides the Qur'an)?"

  He replied. "He did not leave anything except what is between the two bindings (of the Qur'an)."

  ^{— Bukhari}

  It is unreasonable to claim that all of these individuals were negligent and have somehow agreed upon an error. It is much more reasonable to conclude that the khabar al-wahid from Ibn Abbas has a mistake.

• This report's authenticity (attribution to Ibn Abbas) is disputed by the scholars.

  حتى تستأنسوا خطأ أو وهم من الكاتب ، إنما هو : حتى تستأذنوا وهذا غير صحيح عن ابن عباس

  (The report that) حتى تستأنسوا is a mistake on the part of the scribe and it is actually حتى تستأذنوا - This is not sahih from Ibn Abbas.

  ^{— Tafsir al-Qurtubi}

• There is a version of the report from Ibn Abbas which suggests that he considered تستأذنوا a tafsir of the verse, not part of the recitation:

  عن ابن عباس، قوله: {يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تدخلوا بيوتا غير بيوتكم حتى تستأنسوا وتسلموا على أهلها} [النور: 27] قال: الاستئناس: الاستئذان

  Narrated from Ibn Abbas about ... (the verse) ... he said: الاستئناس (means) الاستئذان

  ^{— Tafsir al-Tabary}

• There is evidence for استئناس before entering, in the well known Hadith of Umar, narrated by Ibn Abbas:

  فقلت: أستأنس يا رسول الله، قال: «نعم»، فجلست فرفعت رأسي في البيت، فوالله، ما رأيت فيه شيئا يرد البصر، إلا أهبا ثلاثة

  I said: “O Messenger of Allah, may I talk to you freely?”

  He said: “Yes.” So I sat down and looked around the room, and by Allah, I did not see anything in it to please the eye except three hides.

  ^{— Muslim}

• If we assume that this report is indeed authentic about the stance of Ibn Abbas, then the reply is that Ibn Abbas was mistaken and was unaware of the validity of the recitation تستأنسوا .

  يحتمل أن يكون ذلك كان في القراءة الأولى ثم نسخت تلاوته يعني ولم يطلع بن عباس على ذلك

  It is possible that the recitation was initially like that and was then abrogated meaning that Ibn Abbas was not informed of it.

  ^{— Fath al-Bari}

  This is similar to how other companions were unaware of some recitations and formed the wrong impression about them:

  سمعت عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه، يقول: سمعت هشام بن حكيم بن حزام، يقرأ سورة الفرقان على غير ما أقرؤها، وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أقرأنيها، وكدت أن أعجل عليه، ثم أمهلته حتى انصرف، ثم لببته بردائه، فجئت به رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: إني سمعت هذا يقرأ على غير ما أقرأتنيها، فقال لي: «أرسله»، ثم قال له: «اقرأ»، فقرأ، قال: «هكذا أنزلت»، ثم قال لي: «اقرأ»، فقرأت، فقال: «هكذا أنزلت إن القرآن أنزل على سبعة أحرف، فاقرءوا منه ما تيسر»۔

  Narrated `Umar bin Al-Khattab:

  I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to that of mine. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had taught it to me (in a different way). So, I was about to quarrel with him (during the prayer) but I waited till he finished, then I tied his garment round his neck and seized him by it and brought him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "I have heard him reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me."

  The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered me to release him and asked Hisham to recite it. When he recited it, Allah's Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way."

  He then asked me to recite it. When I recited it, he said, "It was revealed in this way. The Qur'an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easier for you."

  ^{— Bukhari}

  عن أبي بن كعب، قال: كنت في المسجد، فدخل رجل يصلي، فقرأ قراءة أنكرتها عليه، ثم دخل آخر فقرأ قراءة سوى قراءة صاحبه، فلما قضينا الصلاة دخلنا جميعا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقلت: إن هذا قرأ قراءة أنكرتها عليه، ودخل آخر فقرأ سوى قراءة صاحبه، فأمرهما رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقرآ، فحسن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم شأنهما

  Ubayy bin Ka'b said: "I was in the Masjid, and a man came in and offered prayers, and (in it) he recited in a manner which I found strange. Then another man came in and recited in a manner different from his companion.

  When we had finished the prayer, we all entered upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I said: 'This man recited in a manner which I found strange, then another man came in and recited in a manner different from his companion.'

  The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told them to recite, and they did so, and the Prophet expressed his approval ...

  ^{— Muslim}

  قال عمر: أبي أقرؤنا، وإنا لندع من لحن أبي، وأبي يقول: أخذته من في رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فلا أتركه لشيء، قال الله تعالى: ما ننسخ من آية أو ننسها نأت بخير منها أو مثلها

  Umar said: Ubayy was the best of us in the recitation (of the Qur'an) yet we leave some of what he recites. Ubayy says, 'I have taken it from the mouth of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and will not leave for anything whatever.' But Allah said "None of Our Revelations do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten but We substitute something better or similar." (2:106)

  ^{— Bukhari}